Date of Award
Spring 2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Program
Clinical Psychology
First Advisor
Gerdes, Alyson C.
Second Advisor
Saunders, Stephen
Third Advisor
Torres, Lucas
Abstract
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health disorder in childhood, and efficacious treatments have been identified. Unfortunately, ethnic minority individuals, including Latino youth and their families, are at increased risk of failing to receive proper treatment and often exhibit poor treatment outcomes. Various factors likely contribute to these existing disparities. Thus, the current study aimed to improve current understanding of the way in which child characteristics and parental cultural factors and perceptions regarding treatment impact Latino family participation in a psychosocial intervention for childhood ADHD, including attendance, retention, engagement, and treatment response outcomes. Sixty-one Latino families participated in the current study, including 61 Latino youth and at least one of their primary parents and teachers. After receiving a comprehensive ADHD assessment, youth were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, both of which included eight parent management training sessions and a classroom intervention. Participants completed measures assessing child sociodemographic/diagnostic factors and parental cultural factors and perceptions. Assessments of family attendance, retention, engagement, and treatment response outcomes also were obtained. Results indicated that parental acculturation was related to attendance, retention, engagement, and treatment response outcomes, and mothers’ attitudes regarding treatment and baseline severity of child symptomatology and functional impairment were related to treatment response outcomes. Results also indicated that higher levels of attendance, retention, and engagement were related to improved treatment response outcomes, although treatment engagement and baseline severity of child symptomatology appeared to be the most salient predictors in some cases. Implications and future directions are discussed.